Plymouth, Pennsylvania
Mine Explosion
February 8, 1916
9 KILLED IN MINE EXPLOSION
Gas Blast Wrecks shaft at Plymouth, Pa.
WILKES-BARRE, Pa., Feb. 9. ---Nine men
were killed by a gas explosion in the Ross vein
of the No. 5 slope of the Nottingham mine, at
Plymouth.
The death list may be larger and it is
believed six persons were injured.
Company officials say the identity of the
dead is not established, owing to the fact that
one hundred other employes who escaped from the
mine failed to register. It is believed,
however, that all of the dead are of foreign
birth.
Working in secret and against great odds, a
corps of mine officials and first aid men are
seeking the dead and injured. The force of the
explosion has been such, however, that rescue
work is slow and tedious, the mine being badly
damaged.
A body of mine gas was touched off in some
unknown manner, but probably by the naked lamp
of one of the miners. The blast which followed
hurled men in all directions, wrecked the
interior of the mine and racked the surface.
Those who escaped the blast rushed to the foot
of the shaft only to find that wreckage had made
it impossible to hoist or lower the carriages. A
force of men were at work quickly and in about
two hours the shrieking miners at the foot were
lifted to the surface.
The first aid teams of the mine made some
effort at rescue work and reports were soon sent
to the surface. Five of the dead were found
scattered along the gangway.
Further on two more bodies were found and it
was reported that rescuers had come across the
bodies of two more, besides a few of the
injured.
The black damp followed soon in the wake of
the explosion and it is believed that some of
the injured have become its victims.
The News, Frederick, MD 9 Feb. 1916
EXPLOSION OF GAS IN MINE AT PLYMOUTH KILLS
SEVEN
Two Others Are Injured But Will Recover---Cause
of Fatal Blast Remains Unknown so Far.
By Associated Press.
WILKES-BARRE, Feb. 8. ---Seven workmen
were killed and two injured by a gas explosion
in the Ross vein of the Lehigh and Wilkes-Barre
Coal Company at Plymouth late today. All the
victims were of foreign birth and several of
them left large families. The injured although
seriously hurt, are expected to recover. It is
believed some of the men were killed by black
damp which followed the explosion.
The cause of the explosion has not been
definitely determined, but the gas is believed
to have been ignited by the naked lamp of one of
the miners. Owing tot he force of the blast
which badly damaged the inside workings of the
mine, the rescue work was slow and tedious.
About one hundred men were in the mine when
the explosion occurred. They were hurled in all
directions, several of the dead and injured
being found scattered along the gangway. Those
who escaped the blast rushed to the foot of the
shaft only to find that wreckage had made it
impossible to hoist or lower the carriages, but
by midnight all were accounted for.
Gazette and Bulletin, Williamsport, PA 9 Feb
1916
PROBING MINE EXPLOSION
Company believes One of Seven-Killed Set Off
Deadly Gas
WILKES-BARRE, Pa., Feb. 10. ---Whether coal
company officials or the seven men who met their
death in a gas explosion at the Lance No. 11
mine of the Lehigh and Wilkes-Barre Coal
Company, at Plymouth, are at fault still is
unknown. Four investigations were started.
Company officials assert that the mine was
considered free of gas, and they believe that
one of the miners freed a gas pocket by shooting
down a part of the roof. The naked light of the
miner is believed to have set off the gas.
Peter Jameski,
doorboy, who was burned severely says that there
were three distinct explosions, following each
other at intervals of a few minutes.
The Gettysburg Times, Gettysburg, PA 10 Feb 1916
Articles transcribed by
Trish. Thank you, Trish!
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